My take on Tieds' Poker Game

Tieds had a really nice 8 person tourney on Tuesday, and what a better way to relax than playing a little poker. The structure was nice and deep starting with 5K in chips and blinds at 25/50. The first hand of the night i picked up 7h8h. I raised it in MP to 150, and just Ditty called. The flop came 7s3s3c. He checked, I bet 300, and he flat called. The turn came a blank and he checked. I think I bet around 500 or so, and he folded. He later claimed to have had a 7, but figured me for an overpair. Wbew.

I ran into some cold cards after that, and came into a cheap pot with 59d on the button. Dennis called in the SB and Bob checked. The flop came 743 with one diamond. It checked around, and a 2 came out on the turn, checked around again. Finally a 9 came out on the river and Bob bet out 600. I didn't think this was a play that could net me more money if I raised, I'd either get re-raised or he'd fold, so I decided to call. Bob mucked before I could show my pair, I assume he had a hand like K high or something. As I wrote this, I realized it was really boring.

Long went on a pretty cold streak apparently, and never really entered any pots. When he did, he was able to triple up, but then was soon eliminated. Ditty went quickly as well. Dennis had built up quite a stack at this point and was being quiet, followed by patches of agression. I figured he would try to steal whenever, but I had a hard time picking up a hand to counter with. We'll deal with Dennis at the end of this blog.

The swing hand of the tournament came after Tieds busted Bob (who for having a lot of chips to start with, played quite quietly.) It was only fitting though because Tieds and Bob love to tangle, never played a hand against each other all night, and then the one hand they DID play together, one of them was eliminated.

Anyway, the swing hand went like this. The action folded to Tieds on the button and he raised to 1200 with blinds at 200/400. Simpson folded in the SB and I wake up with 66 in the BB. I elect to call, after thinking about re-raising in this spot. I did some math and didn't want to get pot commited to the hand before a flop with this hand out of position. I called the 1200 and we saw a flop of AJx. I ran through the possibilities on this hand and decided that it could go 3 ways: I check (I lose), I go all in (It looks too obvious, I probably get called by a better hand), or I make a modest bet (in which I put him to the test, and can fold if he moves in.) I decided to bet 2400, but then took one $500 chip and make it $1900. The pot now was around 2800. Tieds had about 7K left so I figured this would be a good play. Also, the J gave me some cover if he had an underpair to it. My only way to win this hand is to bet, and hope for the best. Tieds actually looked like he was going to move in on me, but folded his 9's face up. I did the same just for advertising for later.

This gave me a nice stack and Tieds wound up exiting in 4th place. Now onto Dennis. He had quite a stack going in and was being really agressive whenever he had the button and in the blinds preflop. I had to make a stand to let him know I wouldn't let him control the table all the time. Dennis was on the button, and raised it to 2500 with the blinds at 400/800 and a 100 ante. Simpson folded and I found AQo in the BB. I had 8400 left. I thought about it for a while and decided that calling was a very weak play here, and I certainly couldn't fold. Based on the amount of times he was raising per round, I had to take a chance that I had the best hand. I moved in for a raise of 5900. Dennis pondered and folded.

Next hand, I have AK in the SB and I raise it to 2600. I collect the blinds again. Then when Dennis was on the button again, he raised it to 2500 again, and I find 99 this time. Again, I go all in hoping that he'll call this hand with A rag hoping I was just setting him up for before. He folds again, and is now the short stack. 2 hands later, on the button, I find A5 and raise it to 2600. Dennis now decides to go all in after much deliberation, and I immediatly called as I knew I had the best hand. He had K10 of clubs, and the door card was an Ace. Now it was down to Simpson and I, heads up.

We played many hands just with limping and checking it down, and I realied that he didn't want to play any big pots with me, so my best bet was to flop a monster and hope to trap. He probably had the same thing going through his head. Hopefully I could try and steal as much as I could. Turns out I didn't need to as I picked up a pair, AJ, and AQ all fairly quickly and won some pots preflop uncontested. The last hand went like this: Simpson raised double the blinds and I called with 57d. The flop came J46, and I was first to act. I decided to bet 3500, and win it right there. Then Simpson moved in on me! Hmmm well, I know 7 high can't be the best hand here, but Simpson is offering me all his chips if I can draw to the nuts. I have him covered so if I lose, the tournament is not over. I rationalize that Simpson will not give me another opportunity to get his chips like this in such a spot where I have enough outs, so I decide to call. He has JT and the turn is a 5. Ok, so now I have 14 outs instead of 9. The river is another 5, and my trips win the pot, the tournament and I go home $100 winner.

I liked my play tonight as I didn't need to bluff alot, and got cards when I needed to, but made the correct plays with the cards I was given. Well, that's all from me now, on a short note, I placed 12th in Eddie's last night out of 31 players. I really padded my lead a bit for the top spot, with only one week remaining. If I'm on my game next week, I could be hard to pass for the chipleader of the freeroll. Let's all hope so anyways.

Ditty, thank you for posting, it makes me feel as though people actually read this mess. People should follow suit and say what's up!